Some pets battle ear infections so severe and long-lasting that the ear canal essentially collapses into scar tissue.

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At this point, medications and cleaning no longer help because they cannot reach the infected tissue, and the ear often becomes permanently painful.

 

When this happens, specialists recommend total ear canal ablation and lateral bulla osteotomy. “TECA-LBO” surgery, which removes the diseased ear canal and cleans the bony middle-ear cavity.

 

For most animals, this procedure eliminates the source of pain and infection and restores quality of life.

 

Untreated, long-lasting ear infections can lead to severe neurological deficits or death.

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Permanent facial nerve palsy, Horner syndrome, vestibular syndrome (loss of balance and head tilt) can develop and may not be reversible even if the surgery manages to cure the infection. Meningitis and meningeal abscessation can lead to death.